Kaicie Boeglin
Anchor Contributor
Rhode Island is paving the road for the new Queen of Soul by welcoming Pop Princess Alyssa Borrelli. A memorable musician is one that provides real situations and stories on top of a great beat. A talented artist is one that can speak not only their truth, but relates to the minds of those in the world around them. Combine both and add a dash of femininity and you get none other than East Greenwich artist, Alyssa Borrelli.
Borrelli’s voice is a lovechild of soul and alternative pop stemming from a bluesy lineage. This queen has pipes that are as strong as a lion’s roar, yet as soft and sweet as a bird’s morning tune. Her sound possesses originality in voice as well as range, while her style sets her apart from the rest.
Borrelli records her music in a freestyle fashion using rhetoric from deep personal notions.
“At times it’s like I’m setting my brain to auto pilot and just letting the lyrics flow and letting whatever is on my mind come out in song. I wrote my single ‘Clear’ this way. It was [2:00 a.m.] and I was sitting in a parking garage with a lot on my mind and I put on the beat and recorded the whole song in one go, really letting everything that I was feeling at the time out. Being able to concisely convey a story and emotion that fluidly is something I take a lot of pride in,” she said.
Being vulnerable with the world allows a true emotional connection to be felt. “Clear” is Borrelli’s only released single, however her first EP is in the works. She is signed to Water Bearer Music Group and can be found on all music streaming platforms.
Borrelli is a self-starting musician who writes, sings and renders all of her work. She chose to join WBMG due to the freedom of self expression. In talking about the label she mentions, “[t]here is no real box that we have to be put in or idea of a certain image to live up to, it’s just about pure creation of art.”
This woman exemplifies what it means to be smart and talented, while being beautiful and kindred. Addressing women in the music industry, Borrelli expressed, “I think there’s a lot of stigma around these concepts and as a woman in the industry there’s a feeling of always having to be at 100%, but I try to show transparency and let people know that it’s okay not to always feel like you’re at your best.”
Transparency is the one prerogative behind Borrelli’s motivation. She admitted this when asked about not going by a stage name. Borrelli said, “Sharing my songs feels like sharing part of my diary at times and I wanted to keep that authenticity by keeping my name.”
Borrelli’s humble demeanor sets her apart from the women in mainstream media. However her vocals, style and lyrics place her on playlists with JoJo, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Alicia Keys. Her family recalls her singing about adult heartbreak as early as six years old. They say her voice has always been melodic and full of soulful richness.
Now that she is older, determined to make relatable music, while devoted to not letting the industry falsify her work and image, Borrelli will capture attention fast. She is an icon for women, she is competition for new artists and she represents hope for the music scene. Follow her on Instagram @alyssa_borrelli for updates and insights on her journey.